Prisoner

by MakeYourBodyaCanvas

If there was one thing Kody hated more than the rain and snow, it was small towns. And it was just her luck that she was moving to a place with all three components. Dreading the move to Forks as if it were a bad omen, a certain blonde hair beauty may be just what Kody needed to be able to get out of her funk. (Takes place in Twilight and into Breaking Dawn)

11. Chapter 11

Happy Belated-Valentines Day! I hope you all had a great day filled with love and laughter whether it's with your partner, friends, family, or yourself. My boyfriend made me a special dish for lunch (he's an amazing cook) and we just spent the day relaxing and enjoying each other's company. Tell me what you did for yesterday in your review.

YESTERDAY WAS KODY'S BIRTHDAY! In this chapter we're currently in the midst of News Years, but, on February 14, 1986, in Birmingham, England, Dakota Eve Moon was born. So review and show Kody some love.

*More information, along with credits and disclaimers, can be found below.

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GryphonLu: Lol, I wonder what you'll do for this chapter.

OTrizy: Is Once Upon Time any good? I wanted to watch it when it first aired, but I was so conflicted that I didn't watch it.

: I'm glad you're loving it! (Mr. YuriNeko, for some reason FFN wouldn't show your name if I type it correctly)

Ali: Kody can actually be mature and call a truce, lol. And this whole chapter is filled with Rosalie and Kody goodness.

HeartlessVampireGirl: I'm trying to update more often now.

theronjohn325: I kind of had a case of the writer's blockage. On the bright side, I have about six new stories that are apart of the Twilight universe in works right now.

Guest: Thank you!

crowfeild: Writer's block sucks, but I'm trying to get more chapters out there so that won't happen again. Sadly, I can't make any promises, though.

Vikihungerrgame1: I've missed you! And I swear I'm looking over the chapters you've sent me. Blame life and time, they're not giving me a break. Your idea did help me! It was just my stupid writer's block that didn't want me to type anything remotely good. But, on the bright side, six more Twilight stories are under way, and a new Game of Thrones story, and so is a True Blood story. Did you watch True Blood? If you haven't then, giiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrlllllll, you're missing out on sexy Eric Northman, badass Pam, and Godric….good lord especially in those flashbacks, Godric was everything.

Flamingtailspin: Thank you!

Guest: Ugh, I get exactly what you mean. I find it so hard to read any story with Bella where she isn't like how she's portrayed in Twilight because all I see is Kristen Stewart. I'll admit, I did see a post where someone pointed out that Kristen Stewart actually acted out her character perfectly because Bella Swan is one of the most basic, dull, Mary Sue characters to ever be created, and I agree with that statement 100%.

need47: I'm trying to!

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Warning: This story does involve female on female action and romance. To simply put it, this is a lesbian love story. So if that's not your kind of thing, or it goes against anything you believe, please leave now. Any comments that I think are rude will be deleted and you will be reported.

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Chapter 11: New Year, New Us:

Christmas came and went in a blink of an eye. The snowfall had been beautiful, but rain had followed shortly after, and everything that had been white and beautiful quickly turned to mush. Kody and her parents had a quiet Christmas; all bundled up in comfy pajamas as they sat around the TV, drinking hot chocolate and exchanging gifts. Kody's maternal grandmother had even sent the family of three a few gifts, as well.

Forks slowly inched itself into the New Year. No matter how much the small town was growing on her, Kody still yearned for Birmingham and Argentina. Then her new passport arrived in the mail. Sitting on her bed, Kody held the slender blue book and wondered where it would take her next. She flipped through the book and stared at its blank pages. She wanted to fill that one up with entry and exit stamps from different countries this time, instead of solely England and Argentina.

Her passion to travel had increased after her near death experience. She didn't want to have any regrets in life, she just wanted to have some excitement and a few crazy aquanites in life to fill herself with stories.

She started to work at Lisa's Paintings, helping customers and Lisa, coming home every evening covered in paint and marker.

Kody also started physical therapy for the weak muscles in her legs, and that made her job a little more difficult than it should've been, but she never complained. Just as she was starting to get back into the swing of things, Kody's leg muscles began to her give her even more problems. Her therapist and Carlisle had warned her about the effects her tremors could leave behind.

When Lisa handed Kody the paycheck she had missed early in December because of her leg therapy, she blinked a few times and said, "This is twice what it should be."

"I was born in Naples, Italy, and there's this beautiful museum with a variety of ancient art works. My parents use to work there and that's where my interest in art started." Lisa wrote the name of the museum down in English and Italian. "I know you've been planning on traveling, so you and your girlfriend should go there. And if you do, ask for Lucas. He's my brother and tell him I said hi. Please?"

"Yeah. Sure." Kody didn't bother to correct Lisa. The older woman always called Rosalie Kody's girlfriend, even though Kody didn't know what they were. "Wait, wouldn't I need a visa to go to Italy?"

"U.S. citizens can go for, like, ninety days for tourist purposes without one."

Koddy nodded her head. "I didn't know you were from Italy. You could have gone anywhere. Why the hell did you come to Forks?"

Lisa smiled. "What's not to love about such a warm town?" That got a chuckle out of Kody. Lisa fiddled with the cash register before she said, "There are nicer places to live. So nice, it's too easy to live and you almost don't have to do anything. But, Forks? It's not all bad, and it's easy to believe in something here." Lisa shrugged. "I'm old and a widow, Kody. I own a paint shop. Most of my customers are superstitious Elders from the reservation. What's easier than the life I'm living now?"

Kody smiled. "That's deep, Lisa."

She rolled her eyes. "That, and I come from Italy. I just wanted somewhere small to live that wasn't Vatican City."

"Thanks for this, Lisa. Enjoy your holiday."

Lisa gave her a hug. "You too, sweetie."

When Kody made it out to the parking lot, she found Rosalie already waiting for her. Since they hadn't seen that much of each other because of the Christmas season, Rosalie had offered to take Kody to and from work, and Kody wasn't complaining at all.

"What took you so long?" Rosalie asked.

Kody made herself comfortable in the sporty, but all too expensive and lavish Mercedes. Giving the blonde a kiss, Kody showed her Lisa's note. "We have another place we could go."

As she told Rosalie about the paycheck and what Lisa suggested, the vampire made a face. "Italy's wonderful, but I had someplace a little closer in mind."

"To where?"

"I thought I could show you where I was born."

Kody looked at Rosalie, surprised. When they would spend time together, just laying around, Rosalie would ask Kody anything just to get to know her better. Of course, Kody wanted to do the same, but she refrained herself. Her questions were always answered with "I don't remember" or "I don't want to talk about it." Kody quickly learned that Rosalie was heavily guarded, and even though it was frustrating, Kody was letting Rosalie gather her courage to finally tell Kody what haunted her.

Until then, Kody would try to keep her mouth shut.

"That sounds like fun," Kody said, not trying to sound too excited. "Where would we be going exactly?"

"Rochester," Rosalie said.

"Like, New York?"

Rosalie nodded her head. She didn't say anything else about their trip. Not only could Kody feel the tension in the air, she heard the steering wheel groan in protest at the pressure Rosalie was enforcing. Kody thought that the vampire might just snap the wheel in half.

"I don't have any homework," Kody finally said. She couldn't stand the silence. "I was thinking that maybe we could do something?"

Rosalie gave her an apologetic glance. "Sorry, but I can't. It's been a week since I've hunted."

Kody stared into those black eyes that were accompanied by lilac circles underneath them. "You didn't have to pick me up, Rose."

Rosalie simply rolled her eyes. "You're more important than hunting."

And there it was again — Rosalie finding a way to mention how much Kody meant to her. It still scared the human. The emotion in Rosalie's voice, the intense look in her eyes, and the fact that Kody seemed to be Rosalie's main concern every second of everyday.

Such intensity still had Kody on edge.

For once, Kody didn't mind the silence and basked in it all the way home. Once they had pulled into the driveway, Rosalie reached across the console and guided Kody's mouth to hers. The kiss was simple and short, but Kody felt the urgency behind it. Getting lost into Rosalie was amazing, and Kody wanted nothing more than to stay in the car and make out with Rosalie.

Someone else had other ideas.

With a growl, Rosalie pulled away from Kody to glare at her phone. "Fucking Alice."

I'd much rather have you fucking me.

Kody cleared her throat. "You better go. Alice won't stop until she gets her way."

"You're right," Rosalie sighed. "One more kiss?"

There was no resisting Rosalie when she begged. Kody gave the blonde one last kiss.

"I'll see you later," Kody breathed against cold lips. "Be careful, ok?"

"I always am." Rosalie stole one last kiss.

Before Kody had closed the door, she heard Rosalie's whimsical voice. "I love you."

Knowing that she still wasn't ready for the L word, Kody stopped at her front door. "I'm committed to you, Rose." She knew the vampire heard her despite their distance.

~Page Break~

That night, Kody only got a few hours of sleep, but when her alarm went off, she surprised her parents and herself when her eyes opened wide and she got out of bed without having a foggy mind. She took a shower and got dressed. Her hands shook with excitement as she pulled her sweater over her head.

Her mom was already cooking breakfast and her dad was sitting at the table, reading the paper. Kody joined her dad at the table and they instantly began talking. It was small things; what the weather would be like in New York, how loud Bella's truck was that morning, and that Kody was drinking apple juice instead of coffee.

"Are you excited?" Debbie asked. "I would love to go to New York. Go see Broadway and all the lights at night."

"Yeah, I am, and Rochester looks beautiful."

"I bet." Debbie handed Kody a plate full of food. "You're a lucky girl."

"Jealous, mum?"

Debbie smacked Kody in the back of the head and laughed when the teenager choked on her juice. She mumbled something about Kody deserving that.

After Kody had finished her breakfast, she ran back upstairs to lug her huge suitcase downstairs. Rosalie and Emmett were driving to Kody's house, and they were going to be pulling up at any minute.

While Debbie double checked that her daughter had everything, Eddie said, "While you're there, you should look at some of the universities New York has—"

"Dad…." Kody sighed.

"I'm just saying. New York has some fine—"

"Dad," she said more firmly.

"All right, all right."

When Rosalie pulled into the driveway with Emmett's huge jeep, Kody kissed her parents goodbye and promised to be careful. She climbed into the monstrosity with one final wave to her parents.

At the airport, Emmett helped them pull their suitcases out of the trunk. Kody squeezed him as tight as she could. The giant teddy bear had grown on Kody ever since they had met, and she was a little anxious leaving without someone who she considered to be one of her bestest friends. "Just stay out of trouble, please?"

"You know I will. So you think Rose will get in your pants?"

"What? You're so weird."

"No, you're weird. But I get it, relationships are tough."

Kody rolled her eyes. "When you finally get a girlfriend or boyfriend I will embarrass the shit out of you, Emmett Cullen, I swear to God. If I didn't find you funny or cute, and didn't like hanging out with you I would've crushed your family jewels by now."

"You think I'm cute?" Only Emmett would ignore the threat of getting kicked in the balls.

"Yes. Now go before you make me miss my flight."

"Sure, but you think I'm cute? Really?"

"I'll see you in a week. Bye."

"Take care of Rose for me, ok?" Emmett said quickly. For the first time, he looked honestly serious. "This is a big deal for her, so just be patient."

From the corner of her eye, Kody saw Rosalie put her head down in what appeared to be nervousness. That made her stomach tighten uncomfortably. Whatever it was waiting for them in New York obviously had a negative impact on Rosalie, and Kody didn't like that at all.

Before she could say anything else, Rosalie was suddenly in Emmett's arms, hugging him to death. Kody could see his lips moving, but she couldn't make out a single word. The hug looked so personal and emotional that Kody felt the need to look away; like she had invaded their intimate session. The hug had lasted for over a minute until Rosalie finally let go.

Kody was then engulfed into one of Emmett's bear hugs that lifted her feet off the floor before she playfully shoved him to the side. She walked with Rosalie through the sliding glass doors, but rushed back out. "And take off that body spray! Is it Edward's?" She shouted across the drop off lanes. "You smell like a forty year old virgin!"

Emmett cupped his hands over his mouth. "I was going more for a porn star!"

Rosalie pulled a laughing Kody back in with a final wave to Emmett.

Sitting together, Kody and Rosalie watched the sleepy-eyes business chat with their companies on the phone as they snagged coffee from the little café. The two girls held hands, rubbing their thumbs up and down the other's hand, and gently squeezed each other's fingers. Neither said much to one another.

When the gate finally opened, they got in line to board. Kody didn't take her eyes off of the plane. She could hear it's rumbles through the glass windows.

"I don't know what I'm doing," Rosalie whispered. "I'm in way over my head if I'm being honest."

They showed their tickets to the flight attendant and walked down the ramp into the corridor that was connected to the aircraft. They trudged behind those in front of them until they found their seats. The inside was a lot smaller than it had appeared to be. The isle they had strode down to get to their seats was small and compact, only large enough for one person to pass through. Rosalie took the window seat and Kody sat in the middle, wondering who'd she get stuck next to on her left.

Kody snorted. "There's no turning back now."

"I just hope nothing goes wrong."

"You worry too much, Rose."

"You think so?"

Kody wasn't a hundred percent positive, but Rosalie's anxiety was starting to get to her now, too. "I'm sure everything will be fine, but if this does go bad, maybe I can carry you to safety this time."

Rosalie laughed and remembered that awful, bloody scene of sweeping Kody's practically weightless body into her arms and taking off for the hospital. "We'll see."

They fastened their seatbelts and the flight attendants went over the safety precautions. They were all very benevolent and explained to all the passengers what they were to do in case of an emergency. Kody kept reminding herself that it was more likely for someone to die in a car accident than a plane crash, or so her father had said, and that she had a vampire who wouldn't let anything happen to her sitting on her right. Everything would be fine. She just needed to get over her fear of letting go and allowing others to be in control. Even though fear of the unknown could be exciting to her at times, she still struggled with putting her faith, and this time her life, in the hands of someone else. Flying shouldn't have been an issue for her since she's been on airplanes for as long as she could remember, but she still clutched on tightly to her parent's hands every time the plane would jerk. And this time was no different. The pilot started down the runway and as the plane went faster Kody's stomach sank with excitement and fear. As the pilot pulled the plane into the sky, Kody grasped Rosalie's hand and held on for dear life until the nerves in her stomach had settled.

As the plane was moving, Kody could only think of one thing to repeatedly chant inside her mind. God, please don't let me die, God, please don't let me die. Kody closed her eyes and took slow breaths in order not to hyperventilate.

Ten minutes later she was myself again. Shs wasn't afraid anymore. Shs started to relax as the plane went higher and higher up in the air. A strange sensation ran through her body. Soon, the motion was easy. The fear which overtook her at the time of flight was no more in her heart. Now Kody was quite bold in the air.

The next four hours and fifty minutes were the longest in Kody's entire life. A man sat right beside her and he had fallen asleep as soon as his body had touched the seat. He was in his 30's and the two kids that sat behind Kody and Rosalie had to have been his children with the way they were messing with him in his sleep. That, or they were just some badass kids. Majority of the flight was spent with Kody's head resting on Rosalie's shoulder. Even though the vampire had insisted on Kody eating, the human just shook her head and snuggled up into Rosalie's cold, rock hard body even more. They made small talk that wasn't awkward at all, but Rosalie wasn't much for talking during the flight. Doubt, hesitation and something else still clouded her mind, and she spent most of her time looking out the window.

The flight attendant announced that they were clear to use electronics, so Kody pulled out her phone and took a picture of the ground when the sky was clear, then another picture of the cloudy sky that was covering the ground.

Not too long after, the pilot's voice came through. "We will be making our decent into Greater Rochester International Airport in approximately three minutes. Please fasten your seat belts and make sure your trays are clear and in an upright position. Please do not leave your seats until we are safely in the boarding zone. Thank you for flying Frontier Airlines."

The man next to Kody woke with a start. He looked behind him and halfheartedly scolded the kids. His eyes seemed to roam around the cabin as if he was expecting something to happen. It was obvious that he was nervous. Kody glanced behind her seat and saw a young boy who was probably the man's son as he studied the skies. He looked to be the same age as the girl sitting next to him, who was probably his kid sister. The man's voice trembled as he checked to see if the kids had fastened their seat belts. Another kid, his ten year old daughter, was listening to her favorite music, not caring or even aware that they were about to touch down.

The plane tilted slightly to the left and began a slow and steady turn. Down below, the ground looked like square plots on a huge map of some kind. Gradually, everything began to come into view. As they neared the ground, small cars heading down long highways of black ribbon came into view, as well has various colored homes of different sizes and shapes. A sudden bump told Kody the landing gear was released. The man jumped slightly at the sound.

Feeling her ears pop, Kody opened her mouth in an attempt to release the pressure. Trees and rooftops whizzed by as the aircraft made its final turn onto the waiting runway and ended with a mild rumbling as the tires kissed the tarmac. A loud rush of air giving pressure to the brakes slowly brought the plane to an Indy 500 speed, culminating into the final act of taxiing slowly but surely into the arrival gate.

The moment a plane landed, the unfasten-your-seat belt chime went off and everyone onboard immediately got up. Kody and Rosalie remained standing, crouched next to their seats like spiders until it was their chance to escape. The girls grabbed their suitcases and walked through the busy airport, weaving through the bodies of fast paced New Yorkers. Standing outside the doors, dressed to impress by a limousine, was a man holding a sign that read: Ms. Cullen.

"A limo, really?" Kody murmured as she shifted to make room for Rosalie, even though the back of their transportation vehicle was more spacious than her bedroom.

Rosalie heard her, however, despite the bustling noises spilling through the tinted windows. She smiled. "Have you ever been in one before?"

"No."

"Good."

"But why a limo? A taxi would've been fine."

"Did you really think I wouldn't go all out for you on this trip?" Rosalie laughed when Kody rolled her eyes and attempted to hide her blush. "Just enjoy the ride, Kody. We'll be at the hotel soon."

As Rosalie gave her instructions to the driver, Kody rested her eyes and squirmed in her seat, desperate to stretch her legs again before they continued on with their journey. A spark of excitement fluttered in the pit of Kody's stomach that made her heart speed up when she looked at all of what New York had to offer. The limo continued through the swarming crowds until they thinned somewhat, and appeared to be nearing the southern shore of Lake Ontario in the western portion of New York.

Just as Kody was about to ask how much further they would have to go, the limo pulled over and came to a complete stop. Rosalie looked over and grinned at the sleepy human girl. "We're here."

Kody followed Rosalie out of the limo and stared at the elegant bed and breakfast inn. "What's this place called?"

"The Edward Harris House," Rosalie said. She led Kody into the lobby as the bellboys carried in their luggage for them. "This place is pretty old. I remember coming here as a child for all kinds of parties."

"Wow," Kody said, but she wasn't sure why she said it. She didn't know if it was because she had never been to such a beautiful inn before, or if it was because Rosalie actually mentioned something about her life as a human.

The inn was a retreat of urban serenity. The boutique style Inn gave off an air of quiet relaxation for a neighborhood that lived with the convenience of a central city location. It was tucked in a historic residential setting between East and Park Avenues of Rochester, and the boutique luxury Bed and Breakfast Inn was a one block walk to area shops, cafes, fine dining and galleries within the urban village of Park Avenue. Kody immediately fell in love with the whimsical Inn.

The lady at the front desk had a big, genuine smile etched on her face. "Welcome to The Edward Harris House Bed and Breakfast Inn. My name is Maddilyn. How may I help you today?"

"Reservations for Rosalie Cullen."

The woman clicked and typed in the computer. "It says that you'll be spending a week in the Rosemary's Suite and Porch. Is that correct, Ms. Cullen?"

Rosalie confirmed that the reservation was correct and she was handed a key. The lady pointed their attention to the bellboy standing to the side, still holding on to their luggage. "Berry will take you to your room. I hope you enjoy your stay, and if you have any questions, please, don't hesitate to call."

The girls gave the woman a gracious smile, which was returned. Berry led them to their room and Kody looked around in wonderment. She had never seen such a beautiful room before. Rosalie tipped Berry, and from the way his eyes popped opened it had to have been a very generous tip.

"Do you like it?" Rosalie wrapped her arms around Kody's waist and rested her chin on the British girl's shoulder.

It was an over-sized sunny suite with a king bed that provided them room to move. The spacious garden inspired room had windows overlooking the gardens on two sides. The suite was filled with carefully chosen antiques, European paintings and furnishings from the owner's travels; decorated with a light Country French feel in mind. The wooden floors had a warm rustic finish to them, there were oriental rugs and a down filled antique chaise. An antique desk and chair, which were found at auction while on a trip down South by the owners, sat in the corner. For additional ambiance and comfort, there was an added (electric) fireplace to warm the guests year round. There was an ensuite bath with a pedestal sink, large tiled shower and sunflower shower head.

"I love it," Kody breathed. She craned her head to the side and pecked Rosalie's lips. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"Thank you for coming." Rosalie put their luggage on the bed and they began unpacking. Something black and scandalous caught the vampire's eyes, and with a smirk, Rosalie held up the bra and pantie set. "Alice?"

Kody laughed. "You know what they say, don't bet against Alice."

"Remind me to get that girl a thank you gift."

Kody playfully snatched her newly bought set away from Rosalie. The hyperactive pixie, better known as Alice Whitlock-Cullen, had appeared in Kody's room unannounced a week before the trip and literally thrusted the practically see through undergarments into her hands. Alice then proceeded to make Kody try them on to ensure that they were the proper size. Kody had worn lingerie before, but never had she worn such an expensive piece before. For some reason, Alice thought that it would've been a good idea to tell Kody the cost of the set, and the British girl nearly had an heart attack. The beautiful and romantic, yet racy and downright decadent set had cost $1,520.00. Who paid that much money for pieces of clothing? No matter how beautiful it was.

Kody put the lingerie back into her suitcase, but she saw Rosalie eyeing the piece. "Would….would you like me to wear it?"

Coal black eyes snapped to Kody's, making her shiver under their intensity. Rosalie, realizing the effect that she was having on the poor girl, lowered her gaze and forced herself to calm down. "No, no it's fine."

Kody bit her lip and nodded her head. "Oh, ok."

"Only if you want to," Rosalie blurted out. If she had still been human she would have been blushing. "I don't want you to feel pressured."

And, God, did she want to see Kody in the lingerie. She wanted to see the black outfit contrast against her pale, milky skin; she wanted to watch Kody strut around in it, showing off her cute ass. She wanted to watch Kody wither underneath her in such a beautiful outfit as she ran her cold tongue down Kody's taut stomach in anticipation of reaching the one place Rosalie was dying to kiss. Hell, she just wanted to see Kody in the two piece just so it would be engraved into her memory forever.

With peering eyes and lips pressed into a thin line, Kody dipped her head down in the mildest hint of being flustered. She could feel her cheeks burning. "I'll, uh, keep that in mind." She threw the two piece into her suitcase still and zipped it up quickly. "I'm going to go freshen up," she mumbled to the blonde and as quick as she could, Kody locked herself into the bathroom and turned the sink's faucet on full blast.

Rosalie sighed. She loved her sister, but sometimes Alice had a habit of meddling in things that she didn't need to be a part of.

She put their suitcases under the bed, and tried to forget about the two piece and the image of how Kody would look in it. If Rosalie allowed her mind to conjure up anymore images then the trip was going to be even more longer and frustrating than it already was for her.

Rosalie felt her phone vibrate in her back pocket.

It was a text message from Alice, and it read: You'll be thanking me in three days.

~Page Break~

Day one consisted of going to various museums.

Some of the buildings were old; so old that Rosalie remembered passing by them when she was human. Of course, majority of the buildings and what they housed were new. Kody had woken up before six in the morning, which was a surprise. Since Rosalie was allowing her to sleep in, the blonde had expected Kody to wake up closer to the afternoon, but Kody mentioned that she was far too excited to sleep in. Instead of eating at the Bed and Breakfast Inn, Rosalie took Kody to Starry Nites Café. It sat in the heart of the Neighborhood Of The Arts (NOTA) and Kody fell in love with it. The café served breakfast and sandwiches, plus coffee drinks and wine in a relaxed, artsy space. As the name implied, they had a Van Gogh theme. There was a wide range of entertainment offerings, including live music Thursday through Saturday, Open Mic, and psychic readings about once a week.

Kody just ordered her regular black coffee with extra cream and sugar, and a portabella mushroom wrap. Italian foods may not have been Kody's favorite, but she was a sucker for mushrooms.

"What are we doing today?" Kody asked as she munched away on her breakfast.

"I thought I'd show you some of the museums."

Kody groaned. "Museums are boring." She had suffered enough as a child with her paternal grandparents hauling her off to one museum and then the next.

"Does The Strong National Museum of Play sound boring?"

"What kind of play?"

"For children."

Kody's eyes widened. "It's a child's museum?"

Rosalie nodded her head and couldn't help but smile at the childlike gleam in Kody's eyes. Like Emmett, Kody was naturally a playful person, but they both had to act their age, or so society and parents said. They knew what hard work was, and they knew how to be mature, but they would forever be a child at heart.

Kody basically wolfed down her breakfast and probably burned her throat when she drowned the coffee. She tried to pay the bill, but Rosalie used her superhuman speed to snatch the paper up. Since the sun was trying to break through the clouds, Rosalie played it safe and brought an umbrella. Luckily, the weather was still kind of chilly so the blonde could easily conceal her hands, arms and legs, and neck without it looking suspicious.

They hopped into Rosalie's car and drove to the museum. Kody was like a kid during a sugar rush and refused to sit still. When they pulled up to the museum, Kody's mouth fell open and she breathed out, "Wow."

The outside of the museum was huge. It seemed to house multiple displays with how long it stretched. Set up outside, along the side of the museum, were giant cubes of all different colors, and some were larger than others. Kody watched as not only the children, but the adults, too, ran into the museum with excitement. Even grandparents seemed to have an extra peep in their step.

They existed the vehicle and Rosalie pulled Kody along. They entered the general admission line and waited for their turn.

"How long did you have this planned?" Kody asked when Rosalie presented two tickets at the front desk.

"A while," Rosalie admitted with a dazzling smile.

Once they had the barcodes of their tickets scanned, they were allowed admission and Kody looked like a kid in a candy store.

"Where do you want to go first?" Rosalie asked.

Kody scanned the area. "There," she said as she grabbed Rosalie's hand dragged the blonde towards the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences. Kody scrolled through a touch-screen timeline to learn about D.I.C.E. award recipients across multiple categories, learned about the individuals honored by the AIAS through its D.I.C.E. Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement, Pioneer Awards, and Technical Impact Awards, explored artifacts from The Strong's collections from past Game of the Year Award winners, and viewed rare design documents from The Strong's archival collections.

After that, they dove into the past and explored more than 300 years of play and pastimes at the America at Play exhibit. It was a new, permanent exhibit at The Strong with a blend of rare artifacts and hands-on activities, where people learned how play influenced America's cultural history. They marveled at a custom-made Harley-Davidson and explored America's favorite outdoor pastimes, such as biking, boating, sledding, skiing, and fishing. They viewed rare board games from the 1800s, such as the Game of the American Revolution, Rough Riders, and Bicycle Race. Kody found it be creepy, but they saw a Charlie Chaplin doll, a Charley McCarthy ventriloquist dummy, and Mickey Mouse characters from the early 1900s. There was also the first handmade Monopoly set by Charles Darrow, who popularized the game, and traced the impact of World War II on toys and saw a Buddy L wrecker truck made entirely from wood. They also learned how toys changed and stayed the same over time, and compared a toy soldier from the 1800s to a G.I. Joe action figure from the 1960s. They even saw the world's largest Erector Set — which weighed more than 150 pounds!

There was also a display of The Strong's newest collections, beginning with Disney-branded toys.

Kody had challenged Rosalie to a game of three-player toy trivia and a test your memory trivia with a touch-screen concentration game. Surprisingly, Rosalie won at both games, which was odd to Kody. The blonde didn't strike her as one who would be interested in childish games.

An hour later, Kody all but squealed with joy when she saw the American Comic Book Heroes: The Battle of Good vs. Evil exhibit. There she explored seven decades of amazing characters who had struggled mightily against evil in the comic book cosmos while inspiring kids' imaginations and play. Kody was more than excited to go hands-on at Super Powers School where everyone became a superhero. First, she stepped into the laboratory and absorbed "gamma rays" in order to pick up a massively heavy object. Then she observed a series of flashing lights and repeated back the correct sequences. She walked across a steel beam high above the city and looked down upon spectacular views, and then she maneuvered through an aerial course. After her superhero training, Kody and Rosalie saw gigantic statues of Superman, Spider-Man, Batman, Iron Man, and The Incredible Hulk looming overhead. They journeyed through the golden age of comic books through radio and television broadcasts, video games, original 1940s radio scripts, and early comic book art.

At the end, they took pictures together of what looked like them flying across the sky and scaling the buildings of downtown Rochester.

They then saw the Aquariums and all the other exhibits the museum had to offer. After spending three hours on her feet, Kody was tired, and hungry, and a bunion was starting to swell on her big toe. Luckily, the museum had a food court and Kody settled for Pizza Hut.

"I had fun," Kody said once they found a table to sit at.

"I'm glad," Rosalie said. "I don't think I've ever seen you smile so much."

"I'm a sucker for this shit." Kody munched away on her breadsticks and the smile never left her face. She had never been to a museum that was so much fun. When she was a child, her paternal grandparents had hauled her off to museums that would literally put her to sleep. They had never approved of Kody taking after her mother with wanting to become an aspiring artist, so they tried to conform her into becoming a world renowned scientist like her father, or a doctor, or a specialist of some kind.

They sat at the table for a while, just making small talk about different things. Once Kody had finished her food, they headed back to the car. When they made it back onto the main road, Rosalie glanced at Kody. "Do you know who Susan B. Anthony is?"

Kody shook her head.

"She was an American social reformer and women's rights activist who had a big role in the women's suffrage movement."

"Ok," Kody drawled out. "What does she have to do with anything."

"They turned her house into a museum," Rosalie commented. "Would you like to go?"

Kody shrugged her shoulders. "Sure, why not?"

Pulling up, Kody didn't know what to expect, but the museum looked like a regular home. It looked like a sweet grandmother would live there.

"Stop lagging behind," Rosalie whined as she pulled Kody along. "Or else we'll miss the tour."

"There's a tour?" Kody groaned.

"With tea."

"Just because I'm British doesn't mean I like tea."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Would you just come on? It's not so bad."

Kody let Rosalie drag her inside even though she wanted to shoot herself once the tour began. The group of twenty-four was led by a preppy brunette who reminded Kody a lot of Alice. The tour guide even appeared to be the same height as the pixie vampire.

"Susan Brownell Anthony was born on February 15, 1820, in Adams, Massachusetts, the second of 7 children," the tour guide began. "The Anthony family moved to Battenville, New York, and Daniel Anthony took his daughters, Susan and Guelma, out of school. The 1837 depression caused him to declare bankruptcy and the family lost the Battenville house. The Anthony family then moved to Rochester, New York, on the Erie Canal. Their farm was on what is now Brooks Avenue became a meeting-place for anti-slavery activists, including Frederick Douglass."

Kody wasn't really paying attention to what was being said, but she did pick on some information here and there. The Anthony family were anti-slavery Quakers who met at their farm almost every Sunday, where they were sometimes joined by Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison. Anthony had her own newspaper, The Revolution, which she began publishing in Rochester. Anthony attacked lynchings and racial prejudice in the Rochester newspapers in the 1890s. Kody thought it was pretty bad ass that Anthony had cut her hair and wore a bloomer costume for a year to advocate dress reform for women.

"Susan B. Anthony died at the age of eighty-six of heart failure and pneumonia in this very home on March 13, 1906. She was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery, Rochester," the tour guide concluded. "Anthony did not live to see the achievement of women's suffrage at the national level, but she was proud of the progress the women's movement had made. At the time of her death, women had achieved suffrage in Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and Idaho, and several larger states followed soon after. Legal rights for married women had been established in most states, and most professions had at least a few women members. 36,000 women were attending colleges and universities, up from zero a few decades earlier. Two years before she died, Anthony said, "The world has never witnessed a greater revolution than in the sphere of woman during this fifty years." Anthony's death was widely mourned and The Nineteenth Amendment, which guaranteed the right of women to vote, was popularly known as the Susan B. Anthony Amendment."

Kody knew that her mother would have loved the tour. Debbie had always been into woman's rights, and she enjoyed learning about the females who stood up against the crowd and fought for what was right. Kody's mother rarely brought up her childhood, but, unknown to Debbie, Kody's abuela had told her remotely everything the old woman could remember. Kody had never met her abuelo, but she knew that he had been a cruel man. It had been a shotgun wedding at the ripe age of eighteen. Her grandparents had dated for less than a month before that, and Kody's abuelo hadn't been shy when it came to showing his true colors. Even though not all stereotypes for Latino men are true, they held merit with her abuelo. He had been a bad an absent father who never showed his children love. He was a lazy drunk with no education who'd chase after anything that was under the age of twenty-five and legal (although, there had been talk that he liked them at seventeen, maybe even sixteen) in a skirt. And even though he had never loved his wife, Kody's abuelo had been a jealous and possessive man. He had strongly believed that he was the king of the household, and that a woman's place was in the kitchen or making babies. He didn't want a partner, but a slave, and he had always preached that his daughter's needed a man to achieve high social standing.

He especially didn't like it when his wife or children stood up to him. He had instilled fear into his children's hearts at a very young age, so it was once and a blue moon when one of the kid's opened their mouth, but Kody's abuela had always been a stubborn, headstrong woman. That's where Debbie and Kody got it from. Her abuela still bore the marks to this day from that horrid night of almost forty years ago, when her husband had nearly beat her to death. Once she had been released from the hospital, Kody's abuela had filed for a divorce and she had been granted full custody of all her children. All Kody knew of her abuelo afterwards was that he had died twenty years before she was born of an STD he had contracted from a prostitute.

Rosalie had pulled Kody out of her thoughts when the group started to move again. "Are you ready for tea?"

Kody nodded her head and the two girls followed behind everyone else. They had stayed in the back, trying not to draw too much attention to themselves, but that was difficult to do when Rosalie was in the room. The tour guide had even stumbled over her words and lost track of what she was saying from time to time whenever she glanced Rosalie's way. Kody wanted to be mad at the people who were staring at the blonde goddess, but she couldn't really blame anyone. Rosalie was absolutely beautiful; damn near perfection in her looks. But Rosalie only had eyes for Kody, and that made the human feel so much better.

The tea was served in the Carriage House, which didn't look much like a carriage house at all. It just looked a decent sized office space filled with a full kitchen, about thirty chairs and a large flat screen TV with a DVD player with connections for the viewing of presentations on a laptop computer.

As everyone piled into the room, Kody rolled her eyes when she saw how they were preparing the tea. She may have preferred coffee, but she knew how to make a proper cup of tea. Instead of boiling it, the staff members were microwaving the cups and passing them out. They didn't even steep the tea for two or five minutes. At least they had milk to add and sugar for the decadence. The "biscuits" weren't even actual biscuit. They were Americanized cookies, shaped like a biscuit and labeled as biscuits, but they were too sweet. Kody's late grandmother Ethel would have had a fit for the tea tasted awful.

"You Americans have no class," Kody murmured under her breath, but Rosalie had heard her and the blonde's shoulders shook with silent laughter.

"You got that just from tea?"

"No, I got that when the lot of you dumped good tea into the harbor."

"Well, the lot of you put a tax on tea," Rosalie said.

"We were trying to reduce the massive amount of tea held by the British East India Company in its London warehouses, which were financially troubled, mind you, and to help the struggling company survive. We were also trying to undercut the price of illegal tea that had been smuggled into Britain's North American colonies," Kody said matter of factly. "It was meant to convince the colonists to purchase Company tea where the Townshend duties were paid, which implicitly agreed to accept Parliament's right of taxation."

Rosalie didn't have a comeback. Her eyes were owlish and instead, she said, "Oh my, God,...you're a history nerd."

Kody felt her face heat up. "Shut up, I am not."

"Yes, you are!" Rosalie laughed lightly. "I didn't know you liked history."

Kody shrugged her shoulders. "Art and history go hand in hand. You can't have art with history and you can't have history without art."

She had learnt that from her mother. The history of art spanned from the beginning of mankind; from prehistoric times to today, art has influenced every era and every generation.

Rosalie nodded her head. "It's amazing to see how art has changed just from when I was human."

She may have only been a newborn at time, but Rosalie remembered America being in a crisis as 1934 approached. Art seemed irrelevant when the economy fell into the Great Depression after the stock market crash of October 1929. Thousands of banks failed, wiping out the life savings of millions of families. When Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated into the presidency in March 1933, the President realized that Americans needed not only employment, but also the inspiration only art could provide. She remembered when the Advisory Committee to the Treasury on Fine Arts organized the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP). Within days, sixteen regional committees were recruiting artists who eagerly set to work in all parts of America. The Public Works of Art Project paid weekly wages directly to qualified artists to create works which were then owned by the federal government. Between December 1933 and June 1934, the PWAP hired 3,749 artists who created 15,663 paintings, murals, sculptures, prints, drawings, and craft works. The PWAP suggested "the American Scene" as appropriate subject matter, but allowed artists to interpret this idea freely. PWAP images vividly capture the realities and ideals of Depression-era America.

Rosalie remembered seeing the art displayed in schools, libraries, post offices, museums, & government buildings in order to lift the spirits of Americans all over the country. It had been so different from the art she had grown up with in the 1920s, surrounded by the First World War. Photography had been recognized as a form of art back then, but advertising still relied on artists and illustrators to produce the high quality black-white and color advertisements that were sought after by collectors today.

"I think the world should focus on the naked bodies again, though," Kody said. She took a sip of the tea to get the horrid taste of the so called biscuit out of her mouth.

"Have you ever done that?" Rosalie asked.

"Painted someone naked? No, but it's something I'd like to do. I've just never found the right person."

Anger swirled like a red tide within Rosalie, almost choking her. Her hands automatically curled into fists in her lap and they itches to swing out and put a dent in the wall beside her. Kody was hers and she'd be damned if she allowed Kody to see another person, male or female, naked. Her lips curled upwards to keep herself from speaking. Rosalie's mind whirled with thoughts that only made her think of the worst case scenario. The feeling of jealousy was slowly growing into her skin, filling her stone cold body with red anger. Her eyes went dark and her mouth become a straight line.

"Until now."

Kody's voice brought her back to reality and Rosalie knew she had a dumbfounded look on her face since she hadn't heard the human correctly.

"What did you say?"

Kody, for the first time, looked deeply into Rosalie's eyes willingly. "I've never found the right person to paint naked until now."

"You'd….you'd want to paint me?" Rosalie asked, sounding breathless.

"Of course," Kody said. Her facial expression gave away how serious she was. "You're like Aphrodite with your looks, but you have that whole badass persona to you like Athena."

Throughout her life, Rosalie had been called every name in the book and she had heard every compliment at least over two dozen times by now, but she had never had someone so openly compare her to art. She had been called a work of art before, but never by an actual artist. There was just something about the way Kody described her that made it different from all the rest. And from the way Kody was staring at her, Rosalie knew that Kody could see things that other humans — hell, other vampires — couldn't even see. Kody's artistic talent ran much deeper than that of transferring what she wanted onto a blank canvas. Kody saw the world in so many more colors and shapes and dimensions than majority of people ever had, and it was one of the things that made Rosalie fall deeper in love with her.

Just as Rosalie was about to say something, the person in front of them turned around. "Could you keep it down, please? We're trying to watch the movie." They looked a little irritated.

"Sure, mate," Kody said before Rosalie snarled something rude. "We didn't meant to cause a distraction."

The person gave a tight smile of gratitude before they turned back around in their seat. However, they had let out a long, annoyed sigh when the two girls began to mumble to one another again and laugh.

~Page Break~

"Kody, come on! We're burning daylight!"

"Ugh, go away." Kody doubted that Rosalie could understand her even if the blonde had super hearing. With her face shoved into the pillow, Kody tried to ignore Rosalie. She hated mornings with a passion. Her hand flailed about, trying to swat Rosalie's away from her pillow and blanket.

Rosalie sighed in annoyance. "Do you want to take a shower this morning, or not?"

"I will, in a minute."

"You said that five minutes ago." Rosalie rolled her eyes.

"'Kay."

"You should hurry, though. I can hear your stomach growling so I know you need to eat breakfast, and I'm not going to listen about how you're starving to death if you miss it."

"Food?" Kody finally perked up. That was the only way to get Kody out of bed; to seduce her with food.

"Yeah, lots, and there's coffee, too."

Suddenly Kody was starving. "I'll hurry. What are we doing today?"

"It's nice out so I thought we'd go to the zoo," Rosalie said. "Just pick one of your light sweaters or jackets since it's supposed to get a bit chilly and you'll be fine."

Kody did hurry, even though she was still tired, and the thought of food made her even more hungry and slow. She grabbed Rosalie's makeup mirror while the vampire lounged on the couch, watching Kody get ready. Kody didn't feel like getting all dolled up so she settled for a more natural look. Kody did have nice eyes — big, round and grey with thick lashes. Alicia always use to complain that it wasn't fair that Kody had been blessed with lashes that were so naturally thick and didn't need falsies or mascara. When Kody pulled her hair back, her eyes got bigger and lighter. She kept her makeup simple like usual, using only warm, earthy tones that made her eyes stand out a bit more. She added some eyeliner this time and smudged the harsh line out with some of the colors she had added on her lids.

As Kody got ready, she missed the way Rosalie stared at her.

Kody had been messing with her hair, unsure about whether or not she liked it up in a ponytail or not, when Rosalie took the time to actually stare at the beauty in front of her. The effect Kody's pure grey eyes had on her face hadn't changed. They made everything that was ethnic about Kody's features stand out: her long, straight, dark hair that was so thick it frizzed underneath; her rosy, fresh-faced, pink-cheeked, fair complexion that had a slight warm, golden-brown tint to it after getting some sun; her straight, proud nose that came to a round tip, and even her high cheekbones that she had said were inherited from her maternal grandmother. Rosalie wondered how she had gotten so lucky to have such a beautiful mate who would've probably been worshipped as a goddess many centuries ago. Kody was absolutely stunning, and Rosalie began to curse Forks for its dreary, cold climate. It was obvious that Kody enjoyed the sun, and seeing what it did to her complexion made Rosalie enjoy the sun for the first time in many years. It had freed a side of Kody she had never seen before and allowed that girl within to shine, literally and figuratively.

"You look great," Rosalie said from her position in the corner, coming out of her mind when Kody began to huff and puff. "I wish I had your hair. It's so beautiful."

"I like your hair," Kody said as she laced up her Chuck Taylor's.

"Please, girls would kill for your hair."

"I know, but I don't really get why."

"Would you want dead, stringy hair? You and your mom are blessed with great hair."

Kody just shrugged her shoulders. Growing up in England, many girls loved playing hairdresser and having Kody as their client. There was just something about her hair that made everyone green with envy, although she had learned her lesson in Year One, during her primary education years, to never allow anyone who wasn't her mother be around her hair with scissors. Needles to say, Kody had cried for a week straight because some snobby bitch had cut a chunk of her hair off.

"Grab your bag and let's go," Rosalie said. They walked out of the room and took the stairs instead of the elevator.

The dining area hadn't been crowded at all, but there were a few people scattered around, talking to one another. Kody and Rosalie returned all the morning greetings as the human girl loaded her plate with food. Once she had her fresh roasted coffee and her plate filled with the Chef's choice of homemade entrees, fresh farm eggs, fresh baked breads, muffins, yogurt and jam on the side, and fresh seasonal fruits and berries, Kody and Rosalie perched themselves at a table.

"I've never been to the zoo before," Kody admitted as she finished eating her breakfast.

"Never?" Rosalie echoed. She doubted when she was a young girl that her parents took her to one either. In fact, Rosalie was positive that Emmett had been the only person to ever take her to one. "How come?"

"Mum and dad were always busy, especially dad. We never had enough money to do something like that anyways."

It had been a rough start for Kody's parents when they had gotten married. Before she had been a month old, her paternal grandparents had disowned her father when he wouldn't divorce Debbie. The small family lived in an flat a few blocks away from the high school Eddie taught at and Debbie sold her paintings for a living. Money had always been scarce for them, but things had gotten better once Eddie's work began to get recognition.

"Emmett took me to the zoo once," Rosalie said in a light tone. A small smile crept to her lips and she looked happy as she reminisced about that day. "It was in the 50's, and Edward and I had gotten into this huge fight. Bella isn't the first human to ever capture Edward's attention. She's just the first mind he can't read. Of course, Alice and Carlisle took to Edward's defense, like usual; he's always played the tortured soul well. So Emmett suggested that we should do something fun. I was against the notion at first, but once we got to the zoo I had so much fun."

She remembered the beavers and otters; how the bird building was one of the finest of its kind at the time, and the houses that became home to the elephants, rhinoceroses, hippopotami and giraffes. There had also been tour train that was new at the time, and it had added to the in-grounds transportation system.

It had been one of the very few times Rosalie had felt like a child, like a normal person ever since she became a vampire.

Kody bit her tongue, but she was dying to know what kind of past Rosalie and Emmett had. It was obvious that she was close to Jasper as well, but if Kody had been a stranger, looking from the outside in, she would have thought that Emmett was Rosalie's boyfriend; hell, maybe even her husband. They were close, a little too close for comfort in Kody's opinion. Kody knew that it was because of Rosalie that Emmett had so accepting of his new life as a vampire. No matter what relationship they had, it was clear that they were both very physical people, and it is obvious that Emmett was very protective over Rosalie and would do anything for her, and a part of Rosalie craved that from a man.

Clearing her head of her thoughts, Kody stored her questions into the back of her mind for later. After she finished her food, she smiled at Rosalie. "Ready to go?"

~Page Break~

As they drove to the zoo, the rain had been falling continuously for the past hour. It was an unexpected rainfall, the news hadn't been calling for any, but lucky they had Alice on their side so they were prepared for the drizzle of the day.

Right after they had entered the gate, Kody was instantly attracted to the group of young children feeding the monkeys. They would do neat tricks to earn a slice of the banana, and they were a rowdy crowd then the children. The chimpanzees were a great attraction, and so were the gorillas. The males would beat their chest and the leader of them sat upon a high rock, overlooking the rest as they ate and interacted with one another.

To their left, Rosalie saw the bird's section. They were kept in large enclosures surrounded by wire gauze and inside the enclosures there were trees, a small tank, and few water-pots. Birds of numerous types lived inside the enclosure. Their multicolored wings and different notes were charming, as were the ducks and cranes that swam in the tank. Having never seen a crane before, Kody notes that they looked beautiful. There was also two white ostriches with beautiful red, long necks that could've been thrown out to a long distance like a spring.

"That's a Nicobar pigeon," Rosalie said they moved along the bird enclosure. "Their the largest pigeon species, and they're also monogamous and tend to mate for life. Over there is the Great horned owls and they have exceptionally good hearing because it's right ear is slightly above its left. Oh, and those are the Superb starlings. They can mimic other birds."

Kody laughed. "If I'm a history nerd, then you're a bird nerd."

"I envy birds," Rosalie with a smile. "They can fly away from anything, but they choose to stay together."

"Well, you know what they say, birds of a feather flock together."

When they continued walking, they stumbled upon the enclosures with African elephants and lions, Amur tigers, Gray wolves and many more mammals. Some people jumped at the roar of the lions, but Kody thought it was awesome to see the king of the jungle. When someone moved near the enclosure, one of the females began to roar, too. Then they moved to the den of the tiger. Its flashing glare and sharp teeth had the children peering at the animal around their parents legs. They also stopped to see the elephants and wolves. Then they came across a big garden in which domestic goats and chinchillas were frisking about, but with the latter being nocturnal, few stirred. The goats were very active, sharp and smart. In one corner of the garden there was a big tree on which another large number of monkeys and baboons were jumping. They continued on with their tricks and pranks. Some people threw bananas at them to which they immediately tried to catch by jumping down the branches. Children enjoyed themselves by making faces at them.

Next was an aquarium, and there were varieties of aquatic animals. There were many species of fish. Their fidgeting in water was entertaining to watch. Next to the enclosure was kept polar bear who was all alone, but the female was very intelligent and loved to play in the water with ice blocks and new enrichment items the keepers would give her.

Then there was a big tank that was full of crocodiles. Some lounged on land, either resting or sleeping, and others swam freely in the water. They saw the snakes, like cobras and pythons, and Kody took pictures of them to send to her mother later on.

Overall, they spent five hours in the zoo. They had walked through every exhibit and enjoyed themselves a lot. Kody was thrilled to see all animals with her own eyes since she only ever read about them in books. She knew that the memory and excitement of the visit would stay with her forever.

"Do you want to go back to the Inn?" Rosalie asked as Kody rested her head on the blonde's shoulders. They walked back to the car at a leisurely pace.

Kody shook her head. "I'm not that tired."

"Sure you're not," Rosalie said with a playful eye roll and she watched as Kody began to doze a little. "It's getting kind of late, anyways."

"It's only five, Rose."

"And you look to be dead on your feet."

Kody shook her head again, stubbornly.

When they got to the car, Rosalie opened Kody's door for her and bit her cheek to keep from laughing at Kody, who had hit her head on the edge of the roof.

"You okay?"

"Just peachy keen," Kody said through gritted teeth. She grabbed the back of her head and groaned. "I think I'm bleeding."

Rosalie slid into the driver's seat. She didn't even both to buckle her seatbelt. "You're not bleeding."

Kody touched the tender spot and hissed. "Yes, I am."

"Now you're just being overdramatic. I would know if you were bleeding."

"Whatever, you stupid vampire," Kody mumbled.

Rosalie snorted. "Okay, whiny human."

Kody pouted and said, "I'm not whiny."

"You are when you're tired."

Kody stuck her tongue out at the blonde and she rested the back her head on the head seat, getting comfortable as Rosalie sped through the streets.

~Page Break~

There was something wrong with Rosalie.

Maybe wrong was poor wordage, more like….bothered.

There was something bothering Rosalie and Kody didn't have a single damn clue what to do. She had noticed the changes in Rosalie the moment she had been awake. The blonde had been more quiet, with less smiles and she seemed almost sluggish; as if she was reluctantly trying to not start the day.

They had been walking in Highland Park when Rosalie finally broke her silence. "It was 1933. I was eighteen and beautiful, and my life was perfect. My human world was a much simpler place." She paused, looking anywhere else than at Kody. Rosalie took an unnecessary deep breath before she continued. "My parents were thoroughly middle class. My father had a stable job in a bank, something I realize now that he was smug about — he saw his prosperity as a reward for talent and hard work, rather than acknowledging the luck involved. I took it all for granted then; in my home, it was as if the Great Depression was only a troublesome rumor. Of course I saw the poor people, the ones who weren't as lucky. My father left me with the impression that they'd brought their troubles on themselves.

"It was my mother's job to keep our house — and myself and my two younger brothers — in spotless order. It was clear that I was both her first priority and her favorite. I didn't fully understand at the time, but I was always vaguely aware that my parents weren't satisfied with what they had, even if it was so much more than most. They wanted more. They had social aspirations — social climbers, I suppose you could call them. My beauty was like a gift to them. They saw so much more potential in it than I did."

Kody didn't say anything, she couldn't dare. Never had Rosalie talked so openly about her human life. That moment was like finding a rare gem, and Kody tried to store every bit of information that she could. She didn't want to forget a thing that made Rosalie….her Rosalie.

"They weren't satisfied, but I was. I was thrilled to be me, to be Rosalie Hale. Pleased that men's eyes watched me everywhere I went, from the year I turned twelve. Delighted that my girlfriends sighed with envy when they touched my hair. Happy that my mother was proud of me and that my father liked to buy me pretty dresses.

"I knew what I wanted out of life, and there didn't seem to be any way that I wouldn't get exactly what I wanted. I wanted to be loved, to be adored. I wanted to have a huge, flowery wedding, where everyone in town would watch me walk down the aisle on my father's arm and think I was the most beautiful thing they'd ever seen. Admiration was like air to me, Kody. I was silly and shallow, but I was content." Rosalie smiled, amused at her own evaluation.

The smile didn't last long, however.

"My parents' influence had been such that I also wanted the material things of life. I wanted a big house with elegant furnishings that someone else would clean and a modern kitchen that someone else would cook in. As I said, shallow. Young and very shallow. And I didn't see any reason why I wouldn't get these things.

"There were a few things I wanted that were more meaningful. One thing in particular. My very closest friend was a girl named Vera. She married young, just seventeen. She married a man my parents would never have considered for me — a carpenter. A year later she had a son, a beautiful little boy with dimples and curly black hair. It was the first time I'd ever felt truly jealous of anyone else in my entire life."

Rosalie looked at Kody with eyes that we're miles and miles away. Kody could see longing behind those golden eyes, too. "It was a different time. I was the same age as you, but I was ready for it all. I yearned for my own little baby. I wanted my own house and a husband who would kiss me when he got home from work — just like Vera. Only I had a very different kind of house in mind. . . ."

It wasn't too hard for Kody to picture the life Rosalie had lived. As much as it pained her to admit it, Rosalie had been just like Ethel, Kody's parental grandmother. Like Rosalie, Ethel had lived a lavish lifestyle where the Great Depression was nothing more than a scary bedtime story. She, too, had married young; at the age of sixteen to be exact, but Edward's birth followed a long time after. Even though it had been customary to give birth a year after marriage, Ethel hadn't been so keen on ruining her body just because of a baby. Kody's paternal great-grandmother had been rumored to be a beautiful woman in her prime, but after two children, she had apparently lost her charms.

Rosalie sighed, and when she spoke again her voice was different, the wistfulness gone. "In Rochester, there was one royal family — the Kings, ironically enough. Royce King owned the bank my father worked at, and nearly every other really profitable business in town. That's how his son, Royce King the Second" — her mouth twisted around the name, it came out through her teeth — "saw me the first time. He was going to take over at the bank, and so he began overseeing the different positions. Two days later, my mother conveniently forgot to send my father's lunch to work with him. I remember being confused when she insisted that I wear my white organza and roll my hair up just to run over to the bank."

Rosalie laughed without humor.

Kody felt her breath get caught in her throat.

"I didn't notice Royce watching me particularly. Everyone watched me. But that night the first of the roses came. Every night of our courtship, he sent a bouquet of roses to me. My room was always overflowing with them. It got to the point that I would smell like roses when I left the house.

"Royce was handsome, too. He had lighter hair than I did, and pale blue eyes. He said my eyes were like violets, and then those started showing up alongside the roses.

"My parents approved — that's putting it mildly. This was everything they'd dreamed of. And Royce seemed to be everything I'd dreamed of. The fairy tale prince, come to make me a princess. Everything I wanted, yet it was still no more than I expected. We were engaged before I'd known him for two months.

"We didn't spend a great deal of time alone with each other. Royce told me he had many responsibilities at work, and, when we were together, he liked people to look at us, to see me on his arm. I liked that, too. There were lots of parties, dancing, and pretty dresses. When you were a King, every door was open for you, every red carpet rolled out to greet you.

"It wasn't a long engagement. Plans went ahead for the most lavish wedding. It was going to be everything I'd ever wanted. I was completely happy. When I called at Vera's, I no longer felt jealous. I pictured my fair-haired children playing on the huge lawns of the Kings' estate, and I pitied her."

Rosalie broke off suddenly, clenching her teeth together. It pulled Kody out of the story, and she had just then realized that they had been walking. They had left the park, wrapped up in their own little bubble, holding hands. Rosalie guided them, passing by a house that was Victorian in looks, but had modern updates. Rosalie glanced at the house for a second, but then she looked away. It was almost as if whatever memory was imbedded to that house, and to the story, was just too great to bear.

"I was at Vera's that night," Rosalie whispered. Her face was smooth as marble, and as hard. "Her little Henry really was adorable, all smiles and dimples — he was just sitting up on his own. Vera walked me to the door as I was leaving, her baby in her arms and her husband at her side, his arm around her waist. He kissed her on the cheek when he thought I wasn't looking. That bothered me. When Royce kissed me, it wasn't quite the same — not so sweet somehow. . . . I shoved that thought aside. Royce was my prince. Someday, I would be queen."

They came to a sudden stop. Kody looked up and saw that they were standing behind a huge plaque. If Kody had to guess, it listed all the lives who had been native to Rochester and lost in the First World War. From where they stood, it was almost like they were out of sight. There was little to no commotion behind them. Kody saw the bottles of alcohols and discarded cigarettes that littered the ground. She figured it was considered a good hiding place to do something that you didn't want anyone else to see.

By now, Kody knew that Rosalie's story wasn't going to have a happy ending.

Rosalie stood still as a statue, her pale face looked even paler, if that was even possible. Her eyes were wide as saucers, practically popping out of her head. "It was dark in the streets, the lamps already on. I hadn't realized how late it was." She continued to whisper almost inaudibly. "It was cold, too. Very cold for late April. The wedding was only a week away, and I was worrying about the weather as I hurried home — I can remember that clearly. I remember every detail about that night. I clung to it so hard . . . in the beginning. I thought of nothing else. And so I remember this, when so many pleasant memories have faded away completely. . . ."

Rosalie laughed without humor and shook her head. "Yes, I was worrying about the weather," she sighed, and began whispering again. "I didn't want to have to move the wedding indoors. . . .

"I was a few streets from my house when I heard them. A cluster of men under a broken streetlamp, laughing too loud. Drunk. I wished I'd called my father to escort me home, but the way was so short, it seemed silly. And then he called my name.

"'Rose!' he yelled, and the others laughed stupidly.

"I hadn't realized the drunks were so well dressed. It was Royce and some of his friends, sons of other rich men.

"'Here's my Rose!' Royce shouted, laughing with them, sounding just as stupid. 'You're late. We're cold, you've kept us waiting so long.'"

"I'd never seen him drink before. A toast, now and then, at a party. He'd told me he didn't like champagne. I hadn't realized that he preferred something much stronger.

"He had a new friend — the friend of a friend, come up from Atlanta.

"'What did I tell you, John,' Royce crowed, grabbing my arm and pulling me closer. 'Isn't she lovelier than all your Georgia peaches?'

"The man named John was dark-haired and suntanned. He looked me over like I was a horse he was buying.

"'It's hard to tell,' he drawled slowly. 'She's all covered up.'

"They laughed, Royce like the rest.

"Suddenly, Royce ripped my jacket from my shoulders — it was a gift from him — popping the brass buttons off. They scattered all over the street.

"'Show him what you look like, Rose!' He laughed again and then he tore my hat out of my hair. The pins wrenched my hair from the roots, and I cried out in pain. They seemed to enjoy that — the sound of my pain..."

Rosalie looked at Kody suddenly, as if she had forgotten that the human was there. Kody knew that her face was stone cold and void of emotions. She also knew that her face was as white as Rosalie's.

"I won't make you listen to the rest," she said quietly. Her grip on Kody's hand tightened. "They left me in the street, still laughing as they stumbled away. They thought I was dead. They were teasing Royce that he would have to find a new bride. He laughed and said he'd have to learn some patience first.

"I waited in the road to die. It was cold, though there was so much pain that I was surprised it bothered me. It started to snow, and I wondered why I wasn't dying. I was impatient for death to come, to end the pain. It was taking so long. . . .

"Carlisle found me then. He'd smelled the blood, and come to investigate. I remember being vaguely irritated as he worked over me, trying to save my life. I'd never liked Dr. Cullen or his wife and her brother — as Edward pretended to be then. It had upset me that they were all more beautiful than I was, especially that the men were. But they didn't mingle in society, so I'd only seen them once or twice.

"I thought I'd died when he pulled me from the ground and ran with me — because of the speed — it felt like I was flying. I remembered being horrified that the pain didn't stop. . . .

"Then I was in a bright room, and it was warm. I was slipping away, and I was grateful as the pain began to dull. But suddenly something sharp was cutting me, my throat, my wrists, my ankles. I screamed in shock, thinking he'd brought me there to hurt me more. Then fire started burning through me, and I didn't care about anything else. I begged him to kill me. When Esme and Edward returned home, I begged them to kill me, too. Carlisle sat with me. He held my hand and said that he was so sorry, promising that it would end. He told me everything, and sometimes I listened. He told me what he was, what I was becoming. I didn't believe him. He apologized each time I screamed."

Kody couldn't help but flinch at the how much pain Rosalie suffered through as she was transformed into a vampire. Kody knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that she wouldn't have been able to make it through such a painful change. She could barely survive the cramps that came during her time of month.

"The pain finally ended and they explained to me again what I was. This time I believed. I felt the thirst, my hard skin; I saw my brilliant red eyes.

"Shallow as I was, I felt better when I saw my reflection in the mirror the first time. Despite the eyes, I was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen." Rosalie laughed at herself for a moment. "It took some time before I began to blame the beauty for what had happened to me — for me to see the curse of it. To wish that I had been . . . well, not ugly, but normal. Like Vera. So I could have been allowed to marry someone who loved me, and have pretty babies. That's what I'd really wanted, all along. It still doesn't seem like too much to have asked for."

She was thoughtful for a moment, and Kody wondered if Rosalie had forgotten of her presence again. But then Rosalie smiled at her with a smile Kody knew was reserved only for her, and the blonde's expression was suddenly triumphant.

"Remember how I told you that I killed six men?"

Kody nodded her head.

"I murdered all five of those humans," she told Kody in a complacent tone. "If you can really call them human . But I was very careful not to spill their blood — I knew I wouldn't be able to resist that, and I didn't want any part of them in me, you see.

"I saved Royce for last. I hoped that he would hear of his friends' deaths and understand, know what was coming for him. I hoped the fear would make the end worse for him. I think it worked. He was hiding inside a windowless room behind a door as thick as a bank vault's, guarded outside by armed men, when I caught up with him. Oops — seven murders," she corrected herself. "I forgot about his guards. They only took a second."

"I was overly theatrical. It was kind of childish, really. I wore a wedding dress I'd stolen for the occasion. He screamed when he saw me. He screamed a lot that night. Saving him for last was a good idea — it made it easier for me to control myself, to make it slower —"

Rosalie broke off suddenly, and she glanced over at Kody. "I'm sorry," she said in a chagrined voice. "I'm frightening you, aren't I?"

"It was a closed casket funeral," Kody said in a monotonous tone after she had finally found her voice again. "Royce King Senior wept at the sight of his son's body. Just like he had lived his life, Royce's funeral was grand and lavished. People flocked to the church house in hopes to see the mutilated body, but no one saw a thing. Did you know that the Kings were British?"

Rosalie's forehead crinkled in confusion, but she didn't say anything. She couldn't because Kody continued on without giving her a chance to. "They flew Royce's body back to England, and, of course, it was a public affair. Nothing the Kings ever did was private. His own sister showed off her engagement to the paparazzi rather than crying over brother's death."

Rosalie looked bewildered and wide eyed. "How do you know that?"

"Royce's family was the richest in Rochester and Birmingham, and his father owned the banks. The booming bank business started with Royce's grandfather, who took his practice over in America during the early nineteenth century. Royce Senior then took over the business and left for New York, leaving his wife and two kids in Birmingham. Wanting to follow in his father's footsteps, Senior uprooted Royce from England at the age of four to become Westernized and to teach him how to become co-partners when he was of age."

"Kody," Rosalie breathed. "How do you know that?"

"Back in England, Royce's father arranged a marriage between his little sister Ethel and Steven Moon, whose family was one of the richest in all of Birmingham," Kody said with a shaky voice. Her nose, which she knew was red, felt hot to the touch. She could feel the tears pooling in her eyes. Some fell, but she wasn't even trying to stop them. "He wanted to leave both banks in good trusting hands, knowing he could trust Royce in America and Steven."

Rosalie stood tall and straight with every muscle in her body tense. She was white as chalk. Her eyes and her mouth were frozen wide open in an expression of stunned surprise, and although she was staring straight at Kody, she appeared not to notice the British girl at all.

Royce never mentioned a sister, at least Rosalie couldn't remember if he had. She just knew that it had been him and his father, the rest of his family had been overseas somewhere. It was then that another realization hit Rosalie. Out of all the time she had spent with Royce, he had never once asked about her family and she had never wondered about his. They had both been too caught up with being on display for others to envy and lust after. She realized even more of what a spoiled, naïve girl she had truly been.

"Moon?" Rosalie asked. "Your grandfather married Ethel….Ethel King?"

Kody nodded her head and hung it in shame. "My grandmother didn't mourn her brother's death. She and Royce were never close, and she was too caught up in her wedding to care. Besides, Royce's death meant that she and my grandfather inherited it all."

"You're related to Royce," Rosalie said in a flat tone.

"He's my great uncle," Kody confirmed.

Time seemed to stand still as Rosalie gazed at Kody with eyes boarding betrayal. If she could have, Rosalie would have been crying for all she was worth. Because how could this happen? Of all the things that Kody could have said to her in that moment, why did she have to say that she was related to that….man? It had to have been a mistake. Kody must have been talking about another Royce King from Birmingham, who had a little sister named Ethel and a brother-in-law named Steven Moon. There was no possible way that Kody — her mate — was related to the man who stole everything from her. But the closer she looked at Kody, resemblances that Rosalie had never noticed before came to light. They were resemblances that Royce had mentioned every King inherited.

"H–How….why?" Rosalie sounded strangled.

"Rose," Kody whispered. She went to grab the blonde's other hand, but Rosalie pulled away from her faster than a human should've been able to.

"No!" Rosalie cried. She looked like she had seen a ghost. "Why? Why would you tell me that?! How could you stand there and tell me that?!"

"You deserve to know the truth," Kody said. She tried to reach for Rosalie again, but she proved to be no match for the speed vampires possessed. "What was I supposed to do? Lie to you and keep the truth bottled up?"

"Yes," Rosalie snarled.

Kody looked bewildered. "So you'd rather I lie to you?"

"That would've been better."

"Better?" Kody scoffed. "Better is you knowing the truth."

"I didn't ask to know."

"But you deserve—"

"What I deserve is a mate who isn't related to my fucking rapist!"

Kody's face fell faster than a corpse in cement boots. In that instant, her skin became white as snow, her mouth hung with lips slightly parted and her eyes were as wide as they could stretch. There wasn't even a point in saying anything else. It truly felt like Rosalie had fired multiple rounds of ammunition into her heart.

Without another word, Rosalie sped off to God only knew where and left Kody standing there alone, making the human girl wonder if the intense, crippling sensation gripping her heart was what it felt like to die.

~Page Break~

Kody didn't know how long she walked aimlessly through the streets, but from the setting sun just on the horizon, she estimated that she had been outside, in a daze, for a few hours. She hadn't even noticed until a group of kids had ran past her, hurrying home. She wouldn't allow herself to think; at least, not yet. She moved methodically, like a robot, and continued down the street without an end in sight. As the sky darkened, the temperature had dropped and Kody's body had been shaking pretty badly that she had to come to a stop outside a small strip with benches. Kody sank down onto the bench, shivering when her back pressed right up against the chilled metal. People scurried on by, very few taking notice to her, but once the dam had broke and her sobs had started, people all but acted like she had some sort of plague. Seldom stopped to ask what was wrong, but Kody assured them it was just teenage drama.

After what seemed like an eternity, Kody's sobs turned into hiccups and she wished that she hadn't been such an ugly crier. She would've killed for a tissue.

Her phone began to ring, but she let it go to voicemail. It rang again, and Kody still let it go to voicemail. By the third time it had went to voicemail, Kody checked her phone.

There were some text messages from her parents and friends, but she wondered how she could have had nineteen missed calls from Alice. Had she been that spaced and confused?

She refused to acknowledge the fact that there had been no calls or messages from Rosalie.

Her phone began to ring again and she finally picked up.

"Hello?" She hoped she hadn't sounded like she had been crying.

"Kody?" Alice's voice was laced with worry and a great amount of relief. "Oh, thank, God. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." Kody lied. "I'm completely fine."

"You don't sound fine," Alice said. "Where's Rosalie? She isn't answering her phone."

Kody didn't even hesitate. "She's probably wishing that she had a different mate." Honestly, Kody didn't see what the point of lying would do. Her day had been ruined hours ago.

"What? Rosalie's crazy about you. What gave you that idea?"

"Besides the fact that she told me she deserves a mate who isn't related to her rapist, nothing really comes to mind." Kody knew her voice was sharp as glass and dripped of acid, and she hadn't meant to take her pent up frustration and anger out on Alice, but she couldn't help it.

"What?" Alice sounded so confused.

Kody shrugged. "Yeah. Turns out my father's uncle who died way before he had been born was Royce King. Rosalie's fiancé, rapist and murder. What a fucking coincidence, hm?"

Alice said nothing for the longest time as she digested all that Kody had said, but even then she didn't know what to really say. It was just a lot of new, and profoundly shocking information to learn.

"Okay," Alice said slowly. "Where are you?"

Kody sat quietly for a little while before she spoke. "I don't know. Rosalie left me hours ago."

Alice sounded angry. "She left you in a city that you don't even know."

She hadn't said it like a question, but Kody answered anyway. "Yeah."

There was the sound of something cracking on Alice's end. "She told me that she wouldn't do that. I had a vision of the two of you fighting and her leaving you behind. She told me that she would never do that to you and that she would be hear you out no matter what."

"She lied."

"Not a big surprise," Alice said. "Rosalie doesn't like to listen to anyone else when she's extremely upset."

"You think?" Kody could feel her own anger bubbling up inside of her. "This whole situation is just wrong. She just springs her story onto me out of the bloody blue and I learn not only how my great uncle died, but that he had been the one to hurt Rosalie. Then it's somehow my fault that I'm related to bloody twat, who I've never really knew anything about, and she doesn't even bother to stop and think how much this affects me now, but instead she treated me like I was some….some….some bloody monster." Kody bit her lip and tried to keep her anger at bay so she wouldn't start crying again.

"It's no one's fault except for Royce and his friends," Alice said quietly.

"Then why do I feel so responsible?"

"Because you love her."

"What?" Kody was back to being dazed and confused.

"There's no denying that you feel strongly for Rosalie. The fact that you slapped Bella spoke volumes, and if Jasper thought that you didn't have any feelings for Rosalie, you'd be be dead by now. So it's only natural for you to feel guilt and remorse, that, oddly enough, can turn to a sense of responsibility."

"What are you saying?" Kody suddenly felt dizzy.

"You're in love with Rosalie, and you have been for a while now."

How in the world did Alice come to that conclusion? Kody was honestly confused.

"It's only been six months. We barely even know each other. I just learned about Rose's past today!"

"You're relationship isn't normal; it's different," Alice said.

"But I don't want it to be different!" Kody realizes that she had been shouting when passersby gave her a dirty look. "I just want to figure out if Rose and I will make it to graduation together."

"Too late, Kody," Alice said.

Too late? Too late?! That was the only advice the Magic 8-Ball had to offer?

"So what now?" Kody asked, sulkily.

"I think you should go talk to Rose. It's been a few hours, right?"

"Yeah," Kody said miserably.

"It won't be so bad, I promise. You shouldn't be out alone at this hour anyway. A lot of creeps come out."

"I know, I know," Kody sighed. "I just don't feel like facing her yet. What she said really hurt."

Alice's voice was soft and gentle; almost like she had been channeling her inner Esme. "I can't imagine how much pain you must be feeling, but trust me when I say that Rosalie doesn't blame you. And she certainly doesn't hate you either. Rosalie has always let her emotions rule her when she's displeased. She'll say anything, too, because she isn't thinking straight. She's too stubborn to swallow her pride, but there isn't anything that she wouldn't do for you."

Kody hesitated. "What do I do now, Alice?"

There was a voice speaking in the background on Alice's end, but it was muffled.

"Jasper just got off the phone with Rosalie," Alice said. It made sense that Rosalie would only talk to Jasper. The two of them were just as close as twins, if not closer. "She's worried about you. She's seconds away from tracking you down."

"So?" Kody drawled out.

"So go to her," Alice all but demanded. "Jasper will call Rose back and you're going to march your ass back to the Inn. You two have a lot of making up to do."

~Page Break~

Kody's body was still shaking from the chill of the night (and anger towards Rosalie), and she wasn't sure what she would say yet, so she was relieved that Rosalie didn't pounce on her once she had walked through the door. The blonde was standing outside on the balcony, looking over the city, not even sparing Kody a glance. Pulling her luggage from out under the bed, Kody plucked out her pajamas and went to go change in the bathroom until a flash of blonde caught her eye.

Neither spoke, but Kody's body language made it clear that she wouldn't be the first to open her mouth.

"Kody….," Rosalie paused. She looked so timid and she had every right to be. "Are you okay?" Still dressed in her outfit from earlier today, it was obvious that Rosalie had been prepared to go out and scour the city for her.

"Now you worry," Kody said bluntly.

"I'm sorry," Rosalie cried. "I'm so sorry. There was just too much going on in my head, and I didn't know how to react and I just lashed out."

Kody snorted at Rosalie's excuse. "Yeah, there was a lot going on inside my head, too, Rose."

Rosalie looked hurt at Kody's attitude towards her. "I said I was sorry."

"I bet you are," Kody snapped.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rosalie asked with a glare that would've made grown men shake in their boots.

"Everyone's always sorry after the fact, but it's already too late." Kody felt her nose warm up again, but she refused to let Rosalie see her cry. Instead, she turned her sadness into anger. "Do you think saying sorry is going to fix what you said to me? That sorry will magically make the pain and disgust that you made me feel go away? Do you actually think saying sorry is enough?"

Rosalie's golden eyes downcast, and a faint look of dolefulness etched her face. "What are we going to do now?"

"We?" Kody scoffed. "As of right now, there is no we. But there is me, and I'm going to wash up and change for bed. You can do whatever you want."

Kody grabbed her bag and slammed the bathroom door. A part of her had hoped that the sound had hurt Rosalie's ears. Kody turned on the faucet to the sink and splashed cold water on her face. She felt sick to her stomach and it felt like her legs were about to give out on her at any given second. She hadn't even noticed how tightly she had been gripping the edge of the sink until her knuckles cracked. As she ran her fingers through her hair, pushing the strands out of her face, Kody looked at her reflection. Her eyes were still wet as tears glimmered at the corners and she sniffled to keep them in her eyes. She tried to plaster a fake smile on her face, but everytime she tried her jaw went slack and her bottom lip began to quiver. The color had been literally drained from her face, but her red nose made her look like Rudolph. Nothing but sadness clouded her features.

As she started to wash her face, her phone buzzed with a text message. Expecting it to be Alice, Kody was all for ignoring it, but she had been surprised when she glanced at the screen.

I know it's hard to forgive those who have wronged you, but I can assure you that life will go much more smoothly once you learn to forgive. This is Jasper by the way.

Getting over her initial shock of Jasper actually reaching out to her to give his assistance, Kody focused on one word — forgive. How was she supposed to forgive Rosalie? It was easier said than done, but Kody wasn't all too sure that she could forget what Rosalie had said to her. And if she couldn't forget, how was she supposed to forgive? Neither side of Kody's family was a fan of the "forgive, but don't forget" spiel, and for good reason, too, but it seemed like the stubbornness that she had inherited from her family wasn't going to help her now. In fact, it only seemed to make things worse.

Alice and Jasper had made it sound so easy. As if sitting down and talking about their feelings was going to help them get out of their dilemma. Kody may have been the type of person who allowed sticks and stones to break her bones, but there was no denying that words hurt just the same, if not more. She could pretend that she wasn't affected by what Rosalie had said, but she was just so tired of hiding her true feelings from Rosalie. For months now, Kody had bit her tongue and allowed Rosalie the space she had needed to build up the courage of telling Kody how she became a vampire, but after today, Kody was out of lines to pull from her ass. Even though she couldn't imagine what Rosalie had went through, Kody still couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that she was related to the man who had destroyed a part of Rosalie. How was she supposed to get over that? She had known that her Great Uncle Royce was a snob just like her grandmother had been, but she hadn't known what a complete miserable waste of space he had truly been.

It nearly made Kody sick to her stomach just to know that she was related to him.

And that's when Kody knew that she could forgive Rosalie, even though it felt impossible. It didn't mean that she was going to excuse Rosalie's actions, but Kody could see where the blonde had been coming from. They had a lot to work out in their future, and it always wouldn't be okay, but Kody was willing to put in the blood, sweat and tears in making sure her relationship with Rosalie didn't sink.

Kody quickly finished up in the bathroom and had put her outfit now. Gone was the girl who had stormed into the bathroom in a fit of anger, who was now walking out as a shy, cautious person. She found Rosalie standing out on the balcony again, but she was still as a statue, appearing to have been made from precious marble. She was still in the same outfit, too.

"Rosalie," Kody almost whispered, but she knew she was being heard. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Why does it matter?" Rosalie's sharp voice made goosebumps rise on Kody's skin. "I can do whatever I'd like, remember?"

Kody flushed as the tables were turned. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me." She was eating her own words and they sure as hell didn't taste good.

Rosalie didn't say anything.

"Can we talk?"

Rosalie didn't say anything again; she didn't even move a muscle.

"Can you at least look at me?" Kody begged.

"What do you want to talk about, Kody? You made it clear that you didn't want to hear my apology," Rosalie snapped, but she still turned around. "So why should I listen to—" Rosalie stopped her rant when she saw what Kody was wearing. The blonde's eyes shamelessly roamed over Kody's curves. "What are you wearing?"

"This ridiculous two piece Alice bought for me." Kody wanted to run back into the bathroom and change. "Do you like it?"

Rosalie nodded her head, unable to take her eyes off of Kody. "I love it. You look beautiful."

The black plunge bra featured underwired cups with a small, silk-covered padded cup, overlaid with beautiful silk Leavers lace. The fine lace swept below and above the cups to form a high apex, longline shape, with a curved outline and delicate eyelash trim, covered in tiny sparkling Swarovski crystals. It continued around Kody's back to decorate the hook and eye clasp fastening. Two black elasticated straps swept below the cups and above the cleavage, joining the shoulder straps, finished with more Swarovski gems. A high-collared, detachable style strap fastened at the nape and swept down to the centre of the cups, accented by a silken black bow. The caged effect conjured plenty of glamour with an exciting bondage-inspired aesthetic. The outfit was completed with a black, skirted suspender from silk Leavers lace, with a scalloped-edge hemline and a cage-style silhouette made from bold elasticated black straps, wrapping closely around Kody's form. The straps were topped with small, sparkly Swarovski crystals for added glitz. It was finished with black satin-bound straps and flashes, and rose gold tone hardware.

Rosalie reminded herself that she needed to get Alice a gift.

Kody made herself comfortable on the bed and patted to the empty spot next to her. Rosalie joined her in a blink of an eye, and even though she was enthralled with the outfit, she was still confused about what Kody wanted.

Kody didn't waste time with words. The second that Rosalie turned around and found Kody's face so close, waiting patiently, Kody pressed her lips against the blonde's It was absolutely perfect. Rosalie's lips may not have been the softest, but they tasted of nothing but of honey and ice. Kody took the led with the kiss as she pulled Rosalie closer, practically molding their bodies together. With both arms, Kody guided Rosalie to her chest, and everything about the world fell away. It was just fire and ice continuing their age old dance.

Rosalie's eyes were only half closed, and so were Kody's, but it was amazing to get lost in Kody's soft, full lips. They were perfectly big, and soft as a cloud, and easily dominated the kiss. Kody nudged her nose against Rosalie's and they fell into a sweet pattern that made Rosalie's eyes fall completely shut. When Rosalie's eyes closed, she felt Kody slip her tongue into her mouth, drawing a whimper from the blonde. Rosalie was almost tempted to open her eyes, but she decided against it and allowed herself to be ravished by the beautiful brunette.

Kody's eyes were still only half shut, but she couldn't bring herself away from watching Rosalie's face. She admired Rosalie's too blonde eyebrows, and her thick strands of hair that were now all over the place in courtesy of Kody's wandering knew that she would never get tired of watching Rosalie's face, and that the vampire had ruined her for anyone else — if there would ever be anyone else. Somehow, Kody doubted that.

All she wanted was Rosalie. All she would ever want was Rosalie.

Rosalie had been the one to break the kiss, remembering that Kody needed to breathe. "What was that for?"

Kody pressed her lips to Rosalie's neck. "I want to show you that I'm nothing like him. I want to show you how good we can be together."

When Kody slid her hand down Rosalie's thighs and spread them apart, the blonde stared down at the brown haired girl settling between her legs. "What are you doing?"

The buttons on Rosalie's pants popped open with ease as Kody's nimble fingers pushed them down her curved hips. "What's it look like I'm doing?" Kody's fingers danced over Rosalie's cotton clad clit. She pressed down, drawling out sounds of pleasure from the blonde, much to Kody's delight.

"You're so wet for me." Kody groaned and rocked her hips against Rosalie's thigh; letting the blonde feel how wet she was, too.

"Kody," Rosalie breathed. Her hips moved against Kody's hand, begging for more friction.

The pressure Kody was placing on Rosalie's wetting pussy increased, sending jolts of lightning through the blonde's body. Rosalie moved one hand between them and Kody drew in a sharp breath when cold fingers reached for her bra and pushed the cups down, pinching her already hard nipples, causing her to moan. That earned Rosalie more pressure, causing her to cry out.

Kody's fingers pushed Rosalie's panties to the side and began caressing her swollen flesh. One finger was placed at her opening and the brunette pushed it in. Rosalie drew in a shuddering breath, her back arched, and she grasped a little bit too tight at the bedsheets. Kody's hips continued to rock into Rosalie's thigh, and the silky skin grew hotter and harder. Kody entered a second finger into the blonde, and Rosalie couldn't control the sounds coming from her mouth.

"Kody," she panted, pushing her hips harder into the human's hand. "Fuck, Kody, that feels so good."

"Mine," Kody practically growled. Her eyes snapped to golden ones and Rosalie found herself drowning in their grey depths. "Tell me."

"Your's."

"What's mine?" Kody kissed her way down Rosalie's coiled stomach, stopping right above her panties.

"I am," Rosalie almost whispered as she felt Kody place a kiss right above from where she wanted the girl.

"What part of you is mine?" Kody brushed her knuckles against Rosalie's clit and watched the jolt that moved through her body.

"Every part of me." Rosalie practically lost her mind when Kody traced around her clit.

"I know that," the British girl said roughly. She slapped Rosalie's clit and chuckled darkly when she yelped at the quick sting. "Be specific, Rose. What part of you is mine?"

Rosalie threw her head back. That's it, she concluded, Kody was trying to kill her.

"My pussy," she said as quietly as she could.

Two fingers plunged into her suddenly, and Rosalie all but moaned like a bitch in heat. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as Kody devoured her pussy. Growling against Rosalie's skin as she licked and sucked away at her juices, Kody sounded like a woman possessed. Her teeth nipped against Rosalie's clit as she sucked on it and her fingers were relentless with their quest to make the blonde cum.

Rosalie's toes began to curl as Kody continued her assault on her throbbing clit. The bundle of nerves had been abused the moment Kody had gotten her out of her pants and she hadn't relented on it since. It was on fire and Rosalie sobbed as Kody continued to suck on it, begging her to stop, but her begging only made Kody's fingers go deeper and she could feel how close she was again.

"Ah, please, please, please, Kody," Rosalie gasped and pulled at her mate's silky locks. She didn't know what she was begging for. She just knew she wanted the bittersweet torture to end.

Kody moaned around her clit and pressed her fingers upwards, hitting that spot that made her see stars. Rosalie gasped loudly, hearing it echo around them, but she was too far gone in her pleasure to even think about being quiet. She rocked her hips forward, silently begging Kody to finish her off.

That cruel smirk Kody gave her made it perfectly clear that she wasn't even close to being done with her once she gave the human what she wanted.

When Kody felt Rosalie starting to arch her back again, she knew that Rosalie was getting restless for her, and with one strong tongue stroke, she licked Rosalie from her tight hole, upwards. Once she found her clit again, Kody started with slow, harder strokes and sped it up gradually.

Rosalie began grinding her hips faster, pressing against Kody's tongue harder on her clit and she flicked faster.

"You taste so fucking good," Kody murmured as she continued to drive the blonde crazy.

Cries of pleasure began to pour from Rosalie's lips and she begged Kody to go faster and harder, and to keep fucking her. With the combined clit stimulation and putting her fingers inside her, Kody made a come hither motion with her fingers on Rosalie's vagina walls and pressed harder.

"Cum for me, Rose," Kody coaxed against her wet skin, before giving one last final suck on her clit. Rosalie stiffened as she came apart in Kody's arms, calling her name. It was a fucking masterpiece in Kody's opinion. She slowed her fingers as Rosalie came down from her high, and eventually, she pulled her head back up. Her face wasn't flushed, but her hair was completely disheveled, but Kody had never seen anything sexier than Rosalie in that moment.

Kody licked Rosalie clean, and released her clit with a pop. She crawled into the blonde's lap and threaded her fingers through her blonde hair. With a lazy smile, Rosalie opened one eye, only to find Kody watching her with a smug smile on her face.

"You look awfully proud of yourself," Rosalie said idly, still incoherent from Kody's amazing oral skills.

"Damn fucking right," she giggled, flashing her rosy cheeks. "Knowing that I'm the only one who gets to see you like that is sexy."

"I'm glad you think so," Rosalie laughed and pulled Kody into a heated kiss. She could taste herself on Kody's tongue, and it didn't gross her out. "I can taste myself on you," she breathed, wrapping her legs around the brunette's waist. "It's fucking hot."

Rosalie kissed her again, and Kody reached down to push Rosalie's unbuttoned jeans down over her ass. Rosalie kicked them off the rest of the way and proceeded to grind on Kody as they made out.

When the minutes passed by, Rosalie untangled herself from Kody and made her way to the bathroom. She cleaned herself up in records time.

When she appeared in the doorway, Kody motioned for her to join her in bed. Rosalie hadn't planned on staying through the night, but after their passionate session, Rosalie just wanted to be with her mate. So she settled into Kody's side, laying her head on her shoulder with her legs entwined with hers. She drew aimless patterns on the human's stomach while Kody reached to pull the blankets around them.

She placed a gentle kiss on Kody's collarbone and felt it flex as she ghosted her lips against it.

"Rose, I want you to be my girlfriend."

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Information/Credits/Disclaimers:

–All characters and events belong to Stephenie Meyer and to the publisher, Little, Brown and Company. Events from the movie(s) belong to the production and distribution companies.

–This chapter was not overlooked by a beta.

–I am not an affiliated with any listed below:

1: Edward Harris House Bed and Breakfast Inn & Cottages
2: The Strong National Museum of Play

3: National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House

4: Seneca Park Zoo

5: Highland Park

–Kody's two piece lingerie set is from Agent Provocateur. It's the Davinah Bra Black and the Davinah Suspender Black.

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